


First Wants

by VisionaryGalaxy



Series: The Symphony of Our Catastrophe [13]
Category: X-Men (Movieverse)
Genre: Don't copy to another site, M/M, Missing Scene, Powerful Charles Xavier, Pre-Slash, Protective Erik Lehnsherr, Short & Sweet, X-Men: First Class (2011)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-29
Updated: 2019-06-29
Packaged: 2020-05-28 19:24:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,065
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19400770
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VisionaryGalaxy/pseuds/VisionaryGalaxy
Summary: After Charles saves Erik from the water, but before Charles convinces Erik to stay.





	First Wants

The debriefing was taking ages.

The worst part of it, was that all the men and Moira in that room had made up their minds nearly twenty minutes ago and were simply handling the red tape at this point. While Charles understood the necessity, it was obvious to anyone with eyes that they weren’t about to arrest Erik or send him away.

Erik had information on Shaw that they could use, and the point of Charles and Moira’s earlier meeting had been to recruit mutants. Although, Charles wasn’t completely certain he had convinced Erik to stay in the few sentences they had managed to exchange between the boat and here.

In fact, it was difficult to know what Erik was thinking at all.

They droned on, though thankfully they were all beginning to get tired and wanted to sleep. Meanwhile, Charles, having said his piece, was focusing his energy toward a very different task. He had been in Erik’s mind for all of three minutes and had been inundated with pain and suffering and rage, but had also marveled at the orderliness of his mind. Something about it drew Charles’s ability in like a moth to a flame.

The boarders of his telepathy kept stretching and tugging toward Erik’s mind. Charles had to reign it back in each and every time. It was maddening and only made worse by the feeling of Erik’s gaze on his neck. The man had barely spoken except to demand answers about Shaw, all of which were deflected, saying they would leave it until the morning.

Otherwise, Erik had spent the entire time since the boat, either by his side or watching him. It was strange to be ogled in such a blatant and non-sexual way. Though Charles certain wouldn’t have minded if it were the latter. No, Erik seemed unable to move past his amazement at Charles’s existence and the realization was painful.

Charles could only imagine what Erik would think when he met Raven. _If_ he met Raven. _If_ he stayed.

“Charles?” Moira head leaned in to whisper while the men made their final pointless arguments. “You can go. You probably want to shower and get some rest.”

He smiled gratefully at her concern. A shower sounded lovely and his bed even better, though…he suspected he wouldn’t be sleeping any time soon if the tone of Erik’s thoughts were any indicator.

A glance across the table revealed Erik watching them. The suspicion in his gaze, however, seemed to be reserved for Moira and the other agents. Charles didn’t blame him, not with what he’d seen in those brief glimpses.

“Thank you,” Charles responded, touching her arm briefly.

Moving to stand, Charles was completely unsurprised when Erik stood up immediately to follow him out. The men in the room didn’t comment, thought he could sense their disgruntled thoughts at Erik’s departure without asking.

His tall domineering presence followed directly behind Charles right up until the moment they stepped out and the door swung closed behind them. He had already paused and turned toward Erik, sensing his unease.

“I’m sorry that dragged on so long-”

“You’re still wet.”

Charles looked up at him, startled by the words. He _was_ still wet, though he’d had a change of clothes and a single towel to dry his hair. It didn’t seem particularly important at the moment, but Erik seemed mildly distressed by the realization.

“A little yes-”

“Where’s your room?” he asked abruptly.

Charles was starting to think Erik was used to making decisions quickly and having people respond to his whims either by choice or by force. He most certainly wasn’t used to people smiling at him in amusement if the confusion on Erik’s face was any indicator.

“What?” he asked.

“Nothing. My room is this way.”

Charles began walking and Erik stayed close. The silence between them wasn’t awkward thankfully, though that might be because Charles already felt very at home with Erik, after having glimpsed his mind. It was strangely comforting simply being in his presence.

Despite himself, Charles shivered. The dampness had seeped into his skin and had left him with a chill, nothing a hot shower and cup of tea wouldn’t fix in ten minutes. Yet, those glassy green eyes were on him again, a slight frown on his lips.

A hand at the small of Charles’s back, urged him to walk faster.

They only had one longer hallway and one left turn to walk down when Erik finally broke the silence, “do you trust them?”

Ah. Of course.

“I trust Moira and I trust that they are committed to finding Shaw.”

That earned him a glance and slight turn up in the corner of his lip. Charles felt strangely proud of that accomplishment.

“A diplomatic non-answer,” Erik commented. “Do you trust their intentions up here?” fingers waved at his head.

Charles grimaced, looked away, “I trust that we all want the same thing Erik. I’ve seen no indication otherwise.”

_I wouldn’t be so sure._

The thought floated by, almost unnoticed, except that Charles’s telepathy was tuned into Erik’s mind so completely. He hadn’t meant to overhear the thought, but now that he had, he couldn’t help but focus in and amplify, searching for reasoning.

They stopped in front of his door and Erik was standing in front of him with an odd expression. The look in his eye was almost wistful, like he was missing something he hadn’t even had yet. Erik hesitated then murmured quietly, “take care of yourself.”

He turned on his heel and disappeared down the corridor, supposedly in the direction of his own assigned room.

Oh.

It was obvious then. Erik was going to find the files on Shaw, likely use his honed skills to trick someone into telling him. He’d take them, disappear into the night, and eventually find the man who killed his mother and find himself a victim of the same fate.

Charles’s stomach twisted sickly at the realization.

He also knew exactly what he could say to make Erik stay. By the time he had a brief shower and dressed, the timing would be perfect to catch him on the way out.

Decided, Charles quickly made his way inside, intent on his goal. He wanted Erik to stay and the reasons weren’t completely selfless because he found himself already missing the look in those sea glass eyes.


End file.
